Director of Manufacturing Engineering, EW
Anduril · Irvine, United States · 14h ago
Anduril Industries is a defense technology company with a mission to transform U.S. and allied military capabilities with advanced technology. By bringing the expertise, technology, and business model of the 21st century’s most innovative companies to the defense industry, Anduril is changing how military systems are designed, built and sold. Anduril’s family of systems is powered by Lattice OS, an AI-powered operating system that turns thousands of data streams into a realtime, 3D command and control center. As the world enters an era of strategic competition, Anduril is committed to bringing cutting-edge autonomy, AI, computer vision, sensor fusion, and networking technology to the military in months, not years.
ABOUT THE TEAM
Anduril's Electromagnetic Warfare (EW) Manufacturing team is responsible for rapidly iterating and building cutting-edge defense hardware for Electromagnetic Warfare. This responsibility spans the full manufacturing value chain — from Design for Manufacturability through full-rate production — including tool design and selection, process creation and optimization, vendor sourcing, quality planning, system integration, and work documentation for the hardware our engineers own.
ABOUT THE JOB
As the Director of Manufacturing Engineering for EW, you will provide strategic oversight and tactical management of manufacturing engineering to support both the development of new products and the scaling of high-volume production. You are charged with ensuring rigorous manufacturing processes are in place, resulting in the consistent delivery of superior quality defense hardware to our customers. Your leadership will guarantee the fulfillment of manufacturing capacity commitments while driving advancements in tools, automation, and methodologies to improve design, analysis, and execution. This role demands an innovative and adaptable leader who thrives in a fast-paced, resource-constrained environment solving complex manufacturing challenges for electromechanical defense systems.
WHAT YOU'LL DO
- Build & Lead the Manufacturing Engineering Team: Recruit, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of manufacturing engineers with deep product knowledge in mechanical, electrical, system integration, and environmental testing. Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement across the organization.
- Drive Manufacturing Strategy & Technology: Develop and implement a long-term manufacturing engineering strategy aligned with Anduril EW's growth objectives. Drive adoption of automation, advanced manufacturing technologies, and digital manufacturing tools to enhance efficiency and scalability across development and high-volume production.
- Lead New Product Introduction (NPI): Partner with Design Engineering teams in early to late phases of the development process to ensure seamless transition of new products from design to production. Champion Design for Manufacturability (DfM), Design for Assembly (DfA), and broader DFx principles to de-risk production scaling.
- Scale Production Capability: Evaluate, plan, and prioritize supply chain, production, and test optimizations to ensure the value stream can reliably meet production output goals. Develop process flows that break down large, complex electromechanical assemblies into logical subassemblies and sub-processes. Build business cases for vertical integration or supplier diversification where strategic partnerships will accelerate scalability.
- Drive Continuous Improvement & Quality: Lead initiatives to improve yield, reduce cycle time, and lower cost across the manufacturing value chain. Drive operational excellence through Kaizen events, RCCA burndowns, component and supplier rationalization, and process standardization. Be a strong partner with Product Quality Engineering to tackle key issues both internally and externally to EW Production.
- Own the Manufacturing Value Chain: Take holistic ownership of the manufacturing value chain for EW products, including tool design and selection, vendor sourcing and interaction, quality planning, and work documentation. Contribute to end-customer hardware mechanical or electrical design, including interconnects, board fabrication, and inspection.
- Resource & Budget Management: Manage budgets, staffing, and capital equipment planning for the manufacturing engineering organization. Forecast headcount and operational needs to support rapid scaling, including classified production environments.
- Define Cross-Functional Workflows: Establish effective collaboration frameworks across Design Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, and Production teams. Set objectives, build cross-functional teams, and drive rapid project execution.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical field; Master's degree or MBA preferred.
- 10+ years of progressive experience in manufacturing engineering and operations, with at least 5 years in a leadership role managing manufacturing engineering teams.
- Demonstrated experience owning manufacturing value chains for complex electromechanical hardware — defense, aerospace, or adjacent industries strongly preferred.
- Strong background in make-vs-buy analysis, contract manufacturer management, and supplier development for precision hardware.
- Experience managing NPI and scaling production in high-growth environments with condensed timelines.
- Demonstrated ability to creatively deliver electromechanical hardware in a resource-constrained environment.
- Demonstrated ability to bring up assembly operations for electromechanical assemblies, including PCBA, harness, and RF hardware.
- Knowledge of automation, advanced manufacturing technologies, and digital manufacturing tools.
- Proficient with ERP, CAD, PLM, and FRACAS software. Familiarity with quality systems (ISO 9001/AS9100) and MES systems.
- Hands-on experience physically manufacturing hardware (assembly, soldering, machining, fabrication, etc.).
- Excellent leadership, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
- Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance.
The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary offer may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are included in the majority of full time offers; and are considered part of Anduril's total compensation package. Additionally, Anduril offers top-tier benefits for full-time employees, including:
Benefits
At Anduril, we invest in our people. Our comprehensive, competitive benefits package (available at little to no cost to employees) ensures you’re supported in health, recovery, and whatever comes next. For more information, Explore Our Benefits.
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